Stage 15, The Cheering Mao
Eleven years ago, C.C. created a contract with C.C. Mao is targeting her, not Lelouch. His Geass has no conditions, but he can't turn off his power.
It switches to Mao, who is hearing the voices of students in his mind. This is driving him to insanity, he hears the meaningless thoughts of students. To distract him from this, he turns on a recorded message of C.C.
Lelouch is drinking tea and talking with Nunnally. She asks him what he's been doing lately, and asks if he's found something fun to do. He tells her that he's found a strong opponent to deal with.
Mao goes into a gun shop, and the owner refuses to sell him a gun. But Mao reads his thoughts, manipulating and blackmailing the gun shop owner.
C.C. is annoyed by Lelouch's plans to use the Black Knights to find Mao. She tells him to just use her as bait instead. Lelouch cuts her off and asks if he keeps using Geass, if he'll turn out like Mao. C.C. replies that the Geass will grow stronger as he uses it, and if the person is not strong enough, they'll be engulfed by it. This angers Lelouch and asks if she bound a contract between both him and Mao while knowing that. He tells her that she's despicable for abandoning Mao when he couldn't fulfil her contract, he tells her that she could have taken his life or power, and that way Shirley wouldn't have suffered.
C.C. tells him that they will act separately regarding Mao, and tells him she'll move to the Cultural Society clubhouse next door, and that he'll need to deal with the Cultural Society members. This only further frustrates Lelouch.
Meanwhile, Cecile tells Suzaku that he needs to do a medical check-up later. He then asks if there's a way to meet Princess Euphemia. Lloyd tells him that it's impossible, that he needs to have a court rank or at least a knight rank to request her audience. Cecile says that it's possible for an earl. Lloyd asks if she's referring to himself. Suzaku is shocked that Lloyd is an earl, while Lloyd just laughs it off.
Lelouch is talking to Milly outside the clubhouse and requests that nobody enter the clubhouse for a few days.
Apparently Milly knows that he's a prince, and is worried that it got leaked out. Lelouch reassures her though. Milly later complains that she has another matchmaking session and asks Lelouch what to do. Shirley interrupts them, and Milly and Shirley chat happily. Shirley looks at Lelouch and talks to him as if she doesn't know him. Lelouch looks away; Shirley doesn't know him anymore. Lelouch tells Milly that they're pretending not to know each other, and to just play along with it.
Later in the afternoon, C.C. goes to the ghettos interrogating people if they've seen the Asian named Mao. She's ruthless and powerful, but she doesn't get any information as they all tell her to go to the police of the Order.
Shirley is in her room and is searching for her diary. At the same time, Lelouch is holding it and torches it.
Lelouch, who is back in the clubhouse, gets a call from Mao, who asks to talk to C.C.
Meanwhile, Viletta has just woken up at Ohgi's department. Viletta has forgotten everything, and has become a very gentle and kind person. Ohgi is frustrated that she doesn't remember Zero. Viletta sits up by is embarrassed when she realises she's naked. Ohgi apologises, telling her that he could take her clothes off without looking, but putting them back on wasn't possible. Viletta smiles, and is happy that a kind person saved her.
C.C. hangs up the phone after talking to Mao. She tells that her relationship with Lelouch has just ended, and instead she'll patch things up with Mao. Lelouch tries to prevent her from leaving by using Geass, but it's useless against her.
At the medical examination, a doctor tells him the results of the test were fine, the discipline and life statistics seem to be high but that's excellent for a soldier. The Doctor asks if he's comparing himself to his father, and that it might be restricting him. His father was a famous and great man.
At the same time, Tohdoh and some Japanese members are at General Kururugi's memorial. Unknown to them, Britannian men are locking in on Tohdoh, prepared to capture him.
C.C. is at a theme park, where she will meet Mao. Mao has put on a beautiful display, turning on all the rides. Mao tells her that she's an incredible person. C.C. tries to tell Mao that to her, he's not the most important, but Mao tries to convince himself otherwise.
During a flashback, a young Mao is shouting out "Shut up!" to the whole world as he uselessly blocks his ears, trying to shut out the voices in his mind. C.C. tells him to ignore it, and to concentrate on her voice. This calms him. C.C. tells him that if he's only calm when the two are together, she'll always be with him. A scene where the two are in a remote place is shown, and Mao is painting a picture of C.C.
The flashback ends, and Mao tells C.C. that she's the most important to him. But C.C. responds by holding up a gun.
Lelouch plays back the message C.C. recorded on his phone. Mao asks C.C. to come to the theme park Clovis Land, and if she doesn't, he'll expose Lelouch's identity. Lelouch realises what she was doing, but is still annoyed that she was such an idiot.
Back with Mao and C.C., Mao shoots C.C. in the arm. Mao's ecstatic that C.C. refused to shoot him, which he uses as proof that she loves shim. C.C. tells him that she was using him. Mao shoots her for lying, and continues to shoot her.
Mao tells a bloodied C.C. that he has a beautiful house in Australia that he wants to move to. He tells her that she's too big to take as luggage. He brings out a chainsaw, telling her he'll make her compact.
C.C. asks if this is her punishment, but Mao tells her it's a thank you gift.
A screen in the park lights up and reveals Lelouch talking to him. Mao claps, congratulating him for hacking into the system, but asks what he'll do. Lelouch stays quiet for a while, but changes the subject, asking him if he thinks that "C.C." is her real name. Mao is shocked that Lelouch knows her real name and he doesn't. He's upset that C.C. didn't tell him. Lelouch continues to provoke Mao, telling him that C.C. belongs to him, and not Mao. This angers Mao, but Lelouch continues to tell him that he owns all of C.C. Mao gets angry and destroys the screen.
Mao starts hearing voices, a lot of them. He' soon surrounded by police. Lelouch, dressed as a policeman, picks up C.C. and starts talking to Mao in his mind. He tells Mao that he sent him a pre-recorded message. Mao is shocked and angry that he predicted his replies and reactions. Mao hears the thoughts of the policeman, thinking that he's insane or a Refrain abuser.
Lelouch walks away in triumph, but Mao tells him that he still has a way to defeat him. Lelouch warns that the moment he does, he will die.
Mao is about to reveal that he's a terrorist, but as soon as he says it, the police shoot. C.C. calls his name as he falls.
When C.C. and Lelouch have are away from the Chaos, she tells Lelouch that she bound a contract with Mao when he was a six-year-old orphan. He knows nothing of reading, writing, good or evil. The power that he gained distances himself from other people. He treats C.C. as a best friend and lover, that she's the only human he knows.
Lelouch tells him that he won't lose to Geass, that he'll control it and he will change the world. He will make the contract Mao was unable to fulfil possible.
"I will fulfil both your desire and mine." - Lelouch
C.C. asks if he's comforting her, or pitying her, or getting attached to her. Lelouch tells her neither, that he's proposing the contract this time. C.C. smiles and stretches out her hand. Lelouch shakes it.
"Let's bind it, this contract."
Rating: 4/5
Comment: Gripping episode! Lelouch's brilliant tactics were executed brilliantly. But I really pity Mao, his story is so sad. As a Chinese Australian, Mao is like... my brother! LOL xD - Emily
